The present embodiments relate to computer systems, and are more particularly directed to circuits, systems, and methods for communicating computer video output to a remote location.
Microprocessor-based computer systems are now prolific at all levels of the public and private sector. Such computers may be found in various uses, including business, science, personal, and entertainment. Due to this success and popularity, computer programs likewise have inundated the market. While these advances provide greater capability to the user in many respects, they also create considerable complexities as well. Sometimes these difficulties arise simply from a lack of understanding of a computer program or feature. Still other times, these difficulties arise from a problem with a computer, where that problem may be either hardware or software related. In any event, given the existence of the problem, the user may be faced with a considerable burden and frustration in seeking help to address the problem. For example, often the user must retain the services of a specialist to assist with the computer-related difficulty. Indeed, entire industries of such specialists also are evolving. The present embodiments are directed at facilitating communications between a common user and such a specialist and, more particularly, at permitting the specialist to provide his or her expertise to the user from a remote location.
Once a computer-related question or problem occurs, the specialist typically requires knowledge of the information output by the computer display in order to troubleshoot or otherwise address the user's concern. Thus, the user may in some instances merely telephone the specialist and attempt to orally convey the computer display output to the specialist. This process, however, may be inefficient, provide insufficient information, and be frustrating to either or both the user and the specialist. As an alternative, the specialist may seek first-hand access to the computer so as to view the computer display output. This approach, however, obviously requires an additional burden in that the specialist must travel to the computer or the computer must be transported to the specialist. By way of further background, some computer programs currently exist which attempt to reduce the burden in this regard. For example, the Symantec Corporation currently provides a software program entitled PC ANYWHERE, where that program may be stored on two computers and, thereafter, a first computer may communicate its screen display output to a second computer via a telephone line. Therefore, the specialist may indeed have the ability to review a problem with the user's computer without requiring first-hand access to that computer.
Given the above, the present inventors have recognized various limitations of the prior art. For example, a user may be required to bring a specialist to the site of the user's computer, and this may increase expense and possibly burden the privacy of the user. As another example, a simple telephone discussion whereby the user can only orally communicate the user's problem may be insufficient, or at least inefficient, in reconciling that problem. As yet another example, the use of a program such as the above-described PC ANYWHERE product also may have limitations. Specifically, this type of approach assumes that both the user and specialist's computers have the PC ANYWHERE (or comparable) product. Moreover, this approach also requires that the user's computer is sufficiently operational to communicate over the telephone line. In other words, if the problem of the user's computer is sufficient to freeze the computer's operations, then the computer is likely unable to run the PC ANYWHERE product and, therefore, unable to communicate the user's screen display output to the remotely-located specialist. Still further limitations will be ascertainable by one skilled in the art.
In view of the above, and as computers grow even more in popularity as well as complexity, there arises a need to permit a more efficient alternative for remote computer diagnostics. The present embodiments are directed at such needs as detailed below.